Little Brown Bat 



At times, however, she deposits them on the branch of a 

 tree, where they hang sheltered by the leaves, while she goes 

 off foraging by herself. 



The wings of a bat might be pretty accurately described as 

 abnormally-webbed fore feet. The bones of the fore arm and the 

 fingers are lengthened and drawn out to such an extent, that a 

 man in like condition would have fingers at least four feet long. 



These slender finger bones are connected with each other, 

 and with the hind feet and tail, by a thin, dark-coloured, parch- 

 ment-like, almost naked skin. The wing, as a whole, corresponds 

 exactly with the accepted idea of a devil's or goblin's wing; 

 and the short, puggy head, with its big shapeless ears and wide 

 mouth and little blinking eyes, is of just as impish and devilish 

 an aspect. 



Yet bats are the most gentle and friendly of living things. 

 Not only do they seek out the shelter of our buildings and pass 

 much the larger portion of their time there, but on hot summer 

 nights, when they are all flying abroad, they actually seem fond 

 of our society and flutter unafraid around us, just as swallows 

 do in the sunshine. 



The chief attraction may be the mosquitoes and other pests 

 that come to torment us, but even if it is, the bats are still 

 performing a friendly office, though from a selfish motive; and I 

 believe that outside of that, they are still sensitive to the attrac- 

 tion which nearly every small animal feels towards any larger 

 one who has never given it cause to be afraid. 



According to the books there are four or five different species 

 to be found in this part of the country, but the only sort that 

 I have found in New Hampshire in any abundance is the little 

 brown bat, smaller than the others, with a soft, silky coat of 

 olive brown. 



Most northern bats become thoroughly dormant in cold 

 weather, and it has been stated, on good authority, that their 

 daily sleep is, in reality, hibernation, differing from the sleep 

 of other warm-blooded animals in the same manner that their 

 winter hibernation does. But this probably only refers to certain 

 species. The little brown bats that spend the days behind my 

 blinds apparently only sleep in the ordinary way, as they fre- 

 quently get to crowding and nudge and poke each other with 

 their sharp bony elbows, becoming half awake and squeaking 



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